Article 53Council Secretariat.

Council Secretariat.

The Council shall have a Secretariat headed by a Director-General who shall be assisted by a Deputy Director-General, both of whom shall be career administrators appointed by the President of the Philippines on recommendation of the Secretary of Labor. The Secretariat shall be under the administrative supervision of the Secretary of Labor and shall have an Office of Manpower Planning and Development, an Office of Vocational Preparation, a National Manpower Skills Center, regional manpower development offices and such other offices as may be necessary.

The Director-General shall have the rank and emoluments of an undersecretary and shall serve for a term of ten (10) years. The Executive-Directors of the Office of Manpower Planning and Development, the Office of Vocational Preparation and the National Manpower Skills Center shall have the rank and emoluments of a bureau director and shall be subject to Civil Service Law, rules and regulations. The Director-General, Deputy Director-General and Executive Directors shall be natural-born citizens, between thirty and fifty years of age at the time of appointment, with a master’s degree or its equivalent, and experience in national planning and development of human resources. The Executive Director of the National Manpower Skills Center shall, in addition to the foregoing qualifications, have undergone training in center management. Executive Directors shall be appointed by the President on the recommendations of the Secretary of Labor and Employment.

The Director-General shall appoint such personnel necessary to carry out the objectives, policies and functions of the Council subject to Civil Service rules. The regular professional and technical personnel shall be exempt from WAPCO rules and regulations.

The Secretariat shall have the following functions and responsibilities:

To prepare and recommend the manpower plan for approval by the Council;

To recommend allocation of resources for the implementation of the manpower plan as approved by the Council;

To carry out the manpower plan as the implementing arm of the Council;

To effect the efficient performance of the functions of the Council and the achievement of the objectives of this Title;

To determine specific allocation of resources for the projects to be undertaken pursuant to approved manpower plans;

To submit to the Council periodic reports on progress and accomplishment of work programs;

To prepare for approval by the Council an annual report to the President on plans, programs and projects on manpower and out-of-school youth development;

To enter into agreements to implement approved plans and programs and perform any and all such acts as will fulfill the objectives of this Code as well as ensure the efficient performance of the functions of the Council; and

To perform such other functions as may be authorized by the Council.